1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to systems and methods for dispensing, collecting, and processing wash fluid, in particular wash fluid used for washing engines, and more particularly, aircraft engines, and even more particularly, aircraft jet engines.
2. Description of Related Art
The interiors of aircraft engines are washed to remove the products of combustion, uncombusted fuel, lubricants, and other particulate matter that are introduced and accumulated in the engine during use. Public airports may include a drainage system that directs used wash fluid to a treatment or processing facility that processes the used wash fluid to remove contaminants so that the processed fluid meets certain environmental regulations before being released to a sewerage system. Public airports and military facilities including airbases, however, may be located in regions remote from accessible water treatment facilities and may lack drainage systems for collection and storage of used wash fluid. The used wash fluid must therefore be collected before contacting the ground to prevent pollution and contamination of the military facility and/or surrounding area. The used wash fluid must then be processed to a level suitable for disposal in a sewerage system.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,423,339, 5,560,782 and 5,669,982 to Latimer disclose a mobile apparatus including a truck and trailer unit having a high pressure pump for dispensing wash water, a water heater, and a submersible pump that collects used wash water from a flexible wash pad that collects the used wash water. The used wash water is sent to a water treatment unit that separates oil, particulates, heavy metals, pesticides, and hydrocarbons from the used wash water.
The wash pad of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,423,339, 5,560,782 and 5,669,982 weighs in excess of 350 pounds and requires at least two operators to unfold and set up. The area in which the wash pad is unfolded must be free of all debris and sharp objects, which may require the operators to perform a time consuming cleaning operation prior to setting up the wash pad. The wash pad may also be damaged when the aircraft is moved over the berm, or side, of the wash pad. Damage to the wash pad may result in release of used wash fluid from the wash pad and subsequent contamination of the surrounding area. In addition, the wash pad may be disturbed by winds that may cause release of collected used wash fluid or damage to the wash pad unless the wash pad is staked down by the operators.
In the event that the wash pad of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,423,339, 5,560,782 and 5,669,982 is used in an area of uneven terrain, the used wash fluid may collect in an area where the submersible pump is unable to remove the used wash fluid. The operator would then be required to move the submersible pump to places where wash fluid is collected.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,001 to Rasmussen et al. discloses a portable equipment wash station including a container that stores cleaning equipment, generators, holding tanks for water and fuel, recycling equipment including filters, settling tanks and separation equipment for processing used wash fluid, and a retractable flooring. A sump pump collects the used wash fluid from the retractable flooring. The container may be transported by a train car, a semi-trailer, or ship.
The wash station of U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,001 is similar to the apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,782 in that it requires operators to perform a time consuming operation to set up the retractable flooring. In addition, the retractable flooring may be damaged by vehicles entering the flooring over the berm. A plurality of access ramps and track strips must then be set up to allow a vehicle to enter and exit the flooring.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,655 to Ladd et al. discloses a vehicle containment mat including a vacuum recovery and recycling system that captures residual waste fluids generated during airplane washing or de-icing procedures. A vacuum pump passes the waste fluid to a storage tank for temporary storage. The waste fluid is then passed to a hydro cycle machine that separates the water from other fluids and particulate matter and the separated water is passed to a reverse osmosis tank where residual impurities are removed.
The system of U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,655 is not portable and requires that the airplane or other vehicle be brought to the containment mat. In addition, the containment mat suffers all of the drawbacks of the mat of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,423,339, 5,560,782 and 5,669,982 in that it may be easily damaged by vehicles entering or exiting the mat and by debris. The containment mat may also be affected by strong winds that may lead to spillage of the collected used wash fluid and/or damage to the containment mat.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,217 to Testman, Jr. discloses an engine wash recovery system that is temporarily installed on an aircraft turbine engine to recover wash liquids and contaminants. The system includes a collector formed of a flexible, liquid proof material, an engine exhaust duct, and a container. The collector collects all liquids emanating from the engine and its housing during the wash process.
The system of U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,217 is difficult to set up as it requires that the operator strap the collector to the engine and connect a drain hose and the exhaust duct to the container. The collector may be damaged while it is being secured to the engine and leak wash fluid into the surrounding area.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,579 to Rushing et al. discloses an apparatus and method for spent solvent collection for collecting solvents used to strip coatings, including paint, off vehicles, such as aircraft. The system includes a receptacle having spaced side walls and defining a receptacle bottom portion, the side walls directing spent solvent in both liquid and gas phases to the receptacle bottom portion such that the vapor phase is trapped above the heavier liquid phase. An exhaust port is provided above the receptacle bottom portion for removing the vapor phase. The liquid solvent is not continuously drained by a centralized system but the receptacles are individually drained as the liquid solvent level of each receptacle becomes too high. The liquid solvent is removed for subsequent purification and reuse.
There exists a need for a system for cleaning aircraft engines that dispenses wash fluid, collects used wash fluid and processes the used wash fluid to a level safe for disposal into a public sewerage system that is more easily set up and in a less time consuming manner than conventional systems. In addition, there exists a need for a system that dispenses, collects and processes wash fluid that is safer than conventional systems by reducing the possibility of the collected used wash fluid leaking from the containment area. There also exists a need for a system that dispenses, collects and processes wash fluid that includes an apparatus for collecting used washed fluid and transferring the used wash fluid to a processing system that is more reliable and easier to operate than conventional systems.
Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is a system for dispensing, collecting and processing wash fluid that includes a collection apparatus that is easily set up in a relatively short time by a single operator.
Another aspect of the present invention is a system for dispensing, collecting and processing wash fluid that includes a collection apparatus that reduces the possibility of used wash fluid leaking from the collection apparatus.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is a system for dispensing, collecting and processing wash fluid that includes an apparatus that reliably and easily collects and transfers used wash fluid from a containment and collection area to a processing area.
A system for dispensing, collecting, and processing wash fluid according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a first movable support frame including a first tank that stores clean wash fluid, a first pump that pressurizes the clean wash fluid and delivers the pressurized wash fluid to at least one dispenser, a second tank that stores used wash fluid, and at least one of a separator unit and a reverse osmosis unit that processes used wash fluid delivered from the second tank into clean wash fluid. A second movable support frame includes a used washed fluid collection area and a second pump at one end that transfers the collected wash fluid from the collection area to the second tank of the first movable support frame through a conduit. The second movable support frame also includes an inclination adjustment mechanism that adjusts the inclination of the second movable support frame so that the collected fluid is supplied to the second pump.
A method for dispensing, collecting, and processing wash fluid according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention dispensing clean wash fluid from a first movable support frame, collecting used wash fluid in a collection area of a second movable support frame, adjusting an inclination of the second movable support frame, transferring the used wash fluid from the second movable support frame to the first movable support frame, and processing the used wash fluid into clean wash fluid.